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Operating System Platforms

The Palm OS has long dominated the handheld market, with Microsoft's Windows CE running a somewhat distant second. The launch of Microsoft's Pocket PC OS in the spring of 2000 marks the retirement of Windows CE and the advent of a retooled, more powerful Windows handheld.

The Palm OS not only appears on Palm's Connected Organizers but has also been licensed to third-party handheld manufacturers such as Handspring. Which platform is better for you depends on your needs.

Devices based on the Palm OS tend to be smaller, significantly lighter, and less expensive than their Pocket PC counterparts. It's a minimalist approach of doing just a few tasks, but doing them really well. The Palm OS seems to be lighter on its feet--starting up faster after you turn on the device, running applications and finding data faster, and so on. Palms have a reputation for being easy to set up, learn, and use and have a long battery life. They're also known for their popular personal-information-management (PIM) systems and extensive support from third-party developers; there are thousands of software, shareware, and freeware titles to choose from. The PIM applications include Date Book, Address Book, Mail, To-Do List, Memo Pad, Expense, and Calculator, along with Security, Games, and HotSync technology (which synchronizes data with your PC).

If you like the Palm platform but want more choices in memory and case configuration, you might consider a product like the Visor from Handspring. The Visor, which is based on the Palm III design, licenses the popular Palm OS and is fully compatible with the thousands of Palm applications that are available from third parties. Products like the Visor often enhance the Palm OS with features such as advanced date books, calculators, world clocks, and support for built-in floating point math. The Visor also has an external expansion slot which lets you insert modules that add optional software and hardware (Handspring calls the modules "Springboard modules"). There are Springboard modules for an MP3 player, pager, modem, GPS receiver, video games, and more, and each one transforms the Visor into an entirely new device.

In general, devices based on Microsoft's Pocket PC OS have more memory and functions than Palms. The new Pocket PC units are far smaller and sleeker than their Windows CE predecessors, and the software, including the handwriting recognition, is a lot more mature. Pocket PCs still tend to be a bit larger, heavier, and more expensive than Palms, but they have narrowed the gap on these fronts while keeping a big lead in power. Some of the latest Pocket PCs have also added whole new functions, including the ability to work as MP3 players, e-book readers, and digital voice recorders. A wide variety of third-party software, from MPEG movie players to cursive handwriting recognition, is currently available. Like Palms, Pocket PCs can synchronize with your personal computer, usually via a docking cradle.

The Pocket PC OS comes with a large set of standard applications, and its graphical interface is a variation of the familiar Windows desktop. The standard applications are Microsoft Pocket Outlook, which includes Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and Inbox (which sends and receives e-mail); ActiveSync, which synchronizes data with your PC; Calculator; Channels, which downloads information from the Internet; Connections, which provides Internet access and communications; Note Taker; PC Link; Solitaire; and Voice Recorder. The handheld manufacturer may add other applications as well.

Although the Pocket PC and the Palm OS overwhelmingly dominate the handheld market, other manufacturers use their own operating systems or license them from third parties. This is especially true for simple electronic pocket organizers that include only basic PIM functions and for entry-level handhelds designed to appeal to niche markets. For example, the Fuga eDiary uses its own VuOne operating system, designed specifically for users seeking to replace printed-paper planners. Other manufacturers may try to compete more directly with Pocket PC or Palm OS. For example, Psion, which makes higher-end handhelds, such as the Psion Revo, uses the Epoc operating system, licensed from Symbian Systems. Psion's Epoc handhelds have been popular with European users, and the devices hold a small fraction of the North American market as well.